Mike Griffith On The Beat SEC win totals

ATHENS — There has been plenty of chatter about Georgia running the table yet again in 2023, and oddsmakers believe there are some who are willing to bet on it.

The Bulldogs have an audacious over/under win total of 11.5 — of their 12-game regular season — per DraftKings.com.

But when one looks at Georgia’s schedule — on the surface at least — there would not seem to be too many threats.

To date, the only game the Bulldogs are not favored to win by double digits is at Tennessee, where the line between the two-time defending champs and the rebuilding Vols is 7.5 points.

Georgia has typically played a challenging opening opponent under Kirby Smart, most recently beating Clemson and Oregon in marquee matchups.

This year’s opening game is against UT-Martin with a spread that’s likely to be in the high 40s.

Smart, however, said he’s not concerned that opening the season against a non-marquee opponent will decrease his teams preparedness.

The Georgia head coach told DawgNation after the G-Day Game that the UGA players practice against the best team in the nation every day.

In addition to UT-Martin, Georgia’s other non-conference games are against Ball State, UAB and Georgia Tech.

The slot of the game against the Yellow Jackets — between the Tennessee road trip and the SEC Championship Game — does not seem ideal.

It’s hard to imagine Georgia Tech pulling an upset, but it’s possible the Yellow Jackets could cover whatever spread is out there for the game.

Here’s a look at the SEC over/unders per DraftKings.com, with a quick thought on each:

Georgia 11.5: The schedule looks easy, but then, those road trips to Missouri and Kentucky last season were supposed to be easy, too. Take a pass on this bet, but pick the Bulldogs to cover more games than not this season with Mike Bobo calling plays.

Alabama 10.5: Sure looks like Vegas thinks the Tide will beat LSU in Tuscaloosa and win the West. I’m not convinced.

LSU 9.5: That opener with Florida State and the road trip to Alabama loom large, but I like Brian Kelly to win 10 of 12 games.

Tennessee 9.5: Lots of moving pieces to replace, including a great QB in Hendon Hooker. Georgia and Alabama are likely losses, gotta take the under here.

Arkansas 7.5: Sam Pittman has an experienced returning quarterback and has proven a program builder. What the heck, take the over.

Ole Miss 7.5: The Rebels faded badly at the end of last season, and this year they travel to play Georgia in addition to playing a rugged West schedule. Taking the under here.

Texas A&M 7.5: Jimbo Fisher has to win, and Bobby Petrino has to work out, right? The Aggies are the dark horse to win the West, I’ll take the over.

Missouri 6.5: You just never know what to expect from Missouri, a stubborn and tough team to beat in its home stadium. A manageable non-conference schedule makes seven wins doable.

South Carolina 6.5: It was such a strong finish for Shane Beamer with wins over Tennessee and Clemson, and Spencer Rattler is back! I only see six wins this year, as North Carolina and Clemson look like non-conference losses.

Mississippi State 6.5: The Bulldogs are going to miss Mike Leach a great deal even with Will Rogers coming back. Take the under.

Auburn 6.5: The Tigers non-conference schedule looks like the easiest in the SEC, four automatic wins. Vanderbilt is on the schedule for a fifth win, then Ole Miss and State come to Jordan-Hare. 7-5 looks doable.

Kentucky 6.5: Mark Stoops is the longest-tenured FBS coach in the nation to have not at least won his respective division. He’s a good coach, but Will Levis is gone, so the under is the play.

Florida 5.5: Could Florida football really be this bad again already? The answer is yes, and it will set up a make-or-break season for Billy Napier in 2024.

Vanderbilt 3.5: Playing a home game with Hawaii and Alabama A&M gives the Commodores two wins, and a road trip to UNLV should lead to another victory. Can Vandy beat Kentucky or Missouri at home? Why not, take the over.